Little things that helped you lose weight

Using the MFP nutrition goals (meal and macro) and planning my meals the day before. I also schedule my workouts at least a week in advance which forces me to look at my calendar and adjust if needed.

I also no longer build a "cheat" day in, If I decide to "treat" myself to that lava cake, I review that week's meal history and decide if I want to have it. Sometimes I do, sometimes not, but at least I'm pausing to make the decision.

Avoiding a mid-morning snack. If I cave and start there, the whole day slides (regardless of snack type and other meals). I weigh and log everything, even if I've fallen off the wagon. I worst case estimate if I can't weigh or I'm having take away.

andrea4736 wrote: »

jelleigh wrote: »

I discovered the weekly graphs in the nutrition section. .

Where do I find this??? I keep looking and I haven't been able to locate it.

@andrea4736 I'm using an Android device but for me, it's in the Nutrition section off the main menu. There are three headings : calories, nutrients and macros. Under the Calories section there is a date bar heading. I think it's defaulted to show just the current date but you can click on it and choose week. This will give you a weekly summary of calorie intake and the average per day. You can click on the graph itself and it will show you the totals for each day as well.

If I knew how to post and image from my phone I would put in some screen shots!

Hope you are able to find it - I love this feature!

Electroni Food scale and heart monitors. More accurate measuring helps.

Hot drinks!! Mostly coffee, but herbal teas as well. If im feeling hunger kick in ill grab a tea or coffee first, then if im still hungry ill make a snack usually consisting of fruits and veggies. I never starve myself, if you're hungry it means your body requires some sort of sustenance. 70% of the time youre just thirsty though, and a warm beverage reaaallly helps fill the void before you make some bad food choices.

Getting a food scale and start weighing all the foods like a chemist isn't a little thing. That's a huge change in one's eating behavior. And for some they plan to do it lifetime.

Anyway OP, my little things are:

- "Ruin" my appetite before meals by eating low calorie foods in advance.
- Understand that a lot of time appetite and hunger are misunderstood and can be ignored. Like after a good workout I am tired and feel like I can eat a horse but what I really need is just an electrolyte drink and some immediate rest to recharge.
- Develop new hobbies or schedule things in place of meal time.
- Hang out with people who care about their fitness.
- Coffee and some energy drinks are your friends.

Family and friends ready to support and motivate. Food scale, MFP, weighing myself at least once a week and last but not least, how ugly my loose clothes look on me.

Staying focused on my goals by continuously studying sound health and fitness books. Keeps me in a conscious frame of mind. This is one of my readings that I would highly recommend, since weight loss is such a mental endeavor:
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Eating-Lab-Science-Willpower/dp/0062329251/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488344729&sr=8-1&keywords=secrets+from+the+eating+lab
The author helps you understand what willpower really means and why you shouldn't feel too guilty if yours "falls short" and how to circumvent that from happening.

I'll second the hot drinks, I like herbal tea and I am happy to drink it unsweetened, but even with a bit of sugar or honey in it, it's hardly any calories and keeps me amused and comforted for a while.

Eating breakfast, pre-logging food, batch cooking on a Sunday using the recipe builder and freezing it for the week, taking tasty different lunches to work each day, discovering new healthy recipes, reading the community forums here, having a weight loss challenge at work and my Garmin step counter, weighing food, going for an after dinner walk with my dog to stop after dinner snacking, discovering Quinoa and eating BEFORE I get hungry

Sleep! Helps keep the blood sugar in check.

Wow.......Some really good advice here already.

I began my fitness and weight loss journey in September of 2016. I am now down 40 pounds. I did take December off due to Christmas and a family vacation. My first major win was not gaining any weight over the holidays. That was huge for me! Here's my plan for success.

1. Visit your doctor first.
2. I joined a gym that specializes in Small Class Internal Training similar to "Crossfit". I love it. Our coaches are awesome. We train at our own pace and have fun. There are so many fun fitness choices these days. Find something you can enjoy. I work out at least 4 or 5 days each week. We also go for hikes and walks.
3. I met with a Nutritionist who helped me with my basic meal plan. That was a BIG help for me. I now know what my calorie range should be for safe weight loss. I have my daily protein, carb, fat and sodium goals/limits and I plan my meals accordingly.
4. I meal prep twice a week. I preplan all my lunches and dinners. I always have healthy meal and snack choices ready in case life gets too crazy. I always have a protein bar in my purse or car. I eat 4 to 5 small meals a day rather than 2 or 3 large ones. I do not eat any carbs after 7 pm.
5. I track EVERYTHING I eat or drink in My Fitness Pal. MFP has changed my life.
6. I don't eat out often but if I want to join friends for a night out, I research the menu and know what I can order before I go out. My friends have been great. They always pick a place where they know I can find a healthy choice.
7. I weigh myself once a week.
8. I have a cheat meal after every five pound weight loss. Make sure your cheat meal doesn't turn into a binge!
9. I celebrate my small wins! They add up. I have always been hard on myself and critical of my body.

Most importantly, DO NOT GIVE UP.